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Show 58 COMMISSIONEI~ INDIAN AFFAIRS. which will effect a material saving. During the active shipping sen-son temporary receiving and shipping depots will be established at points found to be necessary. In effecting these economies we have not lost sight of quality. The old idea that anything was good enough for the Indians has been driven to the rear, as those having dealings with the office now realize, and the Indian Service to-day is no longer the depository for such supplies as dealers otherwise could not dispose of. High-grade stock cattle, standard agricultural implements, good substan-tial foodstuffs, and good grades in other lines are bought for the Indians. Under the reimbursable plan, where an individual Indian must pay ultimately in cash for such articles as may be bought for him, he has been permitted largely to make his own selection, pro-vided, of course, it was reasonable and the articles of standard quality. Where it has been considered advisable to do so the commercial standing of successful bidders has been investigated before contracts were awarded, and in order that those with whom we have business dealings might be brought into a clearer relationship with the service, each contractor personally has had his attention called to the fact that his contractual obligations must be fulfilled to the very letter and that no deviation therefrom will be tolerated. Inspectors of goods and supplies will be required to exercise the utmost care in passing on deliveries to see that inferior articles are not accepted. In the inspection of such supplies as would come within their scope of work, we have been materially assisted by the Bureau of Stand-ards, the Bureau of Mines, and the Bureau of Animal Industry. In the latter part of the fiscal year bids were opened and contracts awarded at San Francisco for the Pacific coast schools and agencies, this being the first opening there since the spring of 1910. For the purpose of increasing competition in connection with our woolen piece goods and clothing contracts, the Bureau of Standards, at our suggestion, drew up new specifications therefor, under which, during the latter part of the fiscal year just closed, clothing was pur-chased for the fiscal year 1915. Realizing daily the serious handicap imposed by certain statutes. governing the purchase of supplies, remedial legislation has been prepared to afford relief in that direction and place our purchasing on a more business-like plane. This legislation we hope to have con-sidered during the next session of Congress, and, should it pass, our purchasing will be done with less cirumlocution and greater efficiency. It is my purpose to continue to inaugurate improvements in the purchasing system of the Indian Service until it is placed on a sound, economical, efficient, and business-like basis |
